PAK vs NZ | Twitter takes brutal digs at Pakistan after flat pitch in Karachi set stage for another batter-dominated dull affair
The Pakistan Cricket Board continues to tackle a surfeit of problems with the cricket community already strife at the condition of the pitches of offer in the country for Test cricket. The New Year changed little as New Zealand were met with a flat pitch again in Karachi and took full advantage.
The cricketing world has been abuzz with discussions about the state of the pitches in Pakistan, especially after the hosts' first Test in the two-match series against New Zealand produced a draw following high first-innings scores on the open days of the encounter. The pitches in the subcontinent country have long been known to offer significant assistance to spin as well as pace bowlers but in recent years there has been a visible shift to batting-friendly pitches to compensate for the lack of a world-class red-ball bowling attack. However, fans were optimistic about the deciding Test in Karachi that began on Monday given the upheaval in Pakistan Cricket Board's top positions, including the departure of Ramiz Raja as chief.
Yet, little seemed to have changed as pictures of the pitch emerged and the fear was confirmed when Kiwi openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway strode out to bat after skipper Tim Southee won the toss. At the time of writing, the score read 187/1 after 48 overs with Latham the only one out so far for a well-made 71 off just 100 deliveries. Conway was unbeaten on 94 and nearing his fourth Test century while former captain Kane Williamson looked well set for 17. The bowlers seemed to have no passages to even trouble the batsmen, never mind think of scalps on the flat track.
The systematic problem in Pakistan pitches is evident by the fact that the average score in the first two innings of the last seven Test matches in the country has been an astonishing 409. Such unhealthy pitch preparations have led calls from players, coaches, and pundits for the pitches in Pakistan to offer a more even contest between bat and ball, with the hope that this will lead to more exciting and competitive Test matches. Twitterati was not far behind in raising the issue on social media, as even Iceland Cricket joined in with a brutal dig of their own.
Not again
Once again Iceland cricket troll Pakistani pitch#PAKvsNZ #PAKvNZ #BabarAzam #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/TbzxO7zQcB
— TROLL PAKISTAN CRICKET (@TrollPakistanii) January 2, 2023
Change him!
The Karachi pitch for the second Test seems to have grass on it. The pitch is prepared by a curator named Mohammad Ashraf from Chakwal on the instructions of Shahid Afridi and Haroon Rashid. The same curator prepares pitches in Diamond Ground, Islamabad too. #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/3wiMlL0fNg
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) January 1, 2023
Result oriented
nothing just the curators preparing a result oriented Karachi pitch pic.twitter.com/DFdp3xz8dh
— retired ICT fan (@anubhav__tweets) January 2, 2023
Help test cricket
Getting decent pitch curators is a big part of helping test cricket survive #PAKvNZ
— John Wright (@johnwright15) January 2, 2023
Seriously
Karachi Pitch #Cricket | #CricketRoom #Karachi | #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/KblvzbuWO6
— Cricket Room (@cricketroom_) January 1, 2023
Why can't we!
Unbelievable. Are we going to start 2023 with another loss in home test? Why can’t we make quality test pitches?🥺😔#PAKvNZ#PakistanCricket
— Ali Haider (@alihaideraf) January 2, 2023
Lifeless dead
Third-class road track pitches are being prepared by PCB to torment its bowlers.
— Luka Modrić🇮🇳 (@LasskuTapa) January 2, 2023
Sad that this lifeless, dead pitch is being used to evaluate their bowlers performance.#PAKvNZ #PakvsNz
Don't care!
Najam Sethi "Public wants to see result in the test matches. They don't care about win or loose. The previous regime of PCB curated placid pitches because they wanted to play for a draw whereas we don't bother about win or loose. We want to play cricket with true spirit." #PAKvNZ
— FAIZ FAZEL (@theFaizFazel) January 2, 2023
Years away
Ramiza Raja said we are years away from making a top class Test pitch. Within a month, we have got one.#PAKvNZ
— Najam Sahibzada (@SMNajam) January 2, 2023
Got one!
What a shame why Pakistan preparing pitches like this #PAKvNZ
— Waheed Bhatti (@Waheed_bhatti) January 2, 2023